A "Dog" question.

[UKDslayer]

Beauceron's are very intelligent too.

I think just like humans, there are "book smart" dogs, and there are "common sense smart" dogs. How much do we perceive a dog that "obeys" as "smart" (hint, "independent" dogs like Great White Pyrenees and many shepherding breeds will "override" their owners). A good, smart dog know when there owner is being stupid, or an *ss.

 

[kthomas]

That's a great point. My Akita is very smart but he is a guard dog so that's what he does.

A border collie /heeler mix is going to be the smartest dog out there. This is probably even a fact , but they are also trainable. However, they have high energy and that can cause major issues if you don't drain that off of them daily and give them a job to do. Need to balance all of the things that are important to match the right breed beyond just being smartest.

Working dogs like heelers and border collies need a full time job. They will not do good sitting around the house all day.

Smart as hell, and a heeler will never leave your side. But they need a job as an outlet for that energy and smarts.

 

[mi650]

As much as we've liked our Mastiffs & Danes, Labs have been the smartest we've had.

Our 1st Lab could open our sliding glass door. Came home one day to find the fridge open, he'd eaten everything he could get. About 2 weeks later, same thing, and we figured out how he was doing it. We no longer have a towel hanging from the door handle.

 

[kthomas]

My Golden is very smart, but my Corgi is over the top intelligent. We have to get him dog puzzles to keep is mind challenged.

We tried the puzzles that have treat compartments for our heeler mixes, but they figured out that they can get to the treats faster if they just smash the puzzle apart

 

[JMGlasgow]

Also, regarding Rhodesian’s, at least mine; this one loves cold weather and snow. I was a little worried because we are in a west suburb of Chicago, but she loves cold weather and hates it when the temp rises above 75. Above 75 and she’s a couch monkey; she comes alive below 75 and loves running in the snow. I looked up the weather in Zimbabwe, modern day Rhodesian, and it’s on the cooler side.

I actually have a coat for her for colder weather, but it has to be in the teens before she needs it; any warmer and she gets hot.

They are short hair, but it’s thick short hair.

We thought we wanted a male too, but when visiting the breeder, this female picked us. We are glad to have her, she’s very affectionate and friendly, with good judgment of whether a person is ok or not. She profiles people, I’ve watched her do it many times, she will go into what I call “mindful mode”. If I’m mowing out front she’ll come out off leash and hang out in the yard and not run off. If she sees people of a certain persuasion coming our way on the sidewalk, she’ll move to the corner and sit like a lion and watch them. Her size is intimidating and they always cross the street before getting to us. I admit, I have a racist profiling dog and it’s nature that made her that way, not me.

My Rhodesian also loves the cold. He can't stay out there all day and night but he goes outside often just to sit and cool off.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Yeah I couldn't figure out how my Akita kept leaving the basement and coming back upstairs. His guarding instincts are very strong and will ALWAYS get into a position where he can see all exits as well as everyone in the house. So if we move where we are, so does he, so he can always maintain that coverage. I'd put him downstairs and shut the door and he'd be right back at the top of the stairs.

I eventually got my wife to sit outside so she could see through the one window and watch. That's how I learned that he could easily operate a door knob.

 

[ubettcha]

Wealthy people have brand names on there cloths. Wonderful people have dog hair on theirs.

 

[Maggot]

We tried the puzzles that have treat compartments for our heeler mixes, but they figured out that they can get to the treats faster if they just smash the puzzle apart

My wolfdogs learned that quickly. Puzzles didnt last 60 seconds.

 

[Maggot]

My Rhodesian also loves the cold. He can't stay out there all day and night but he goes outside often just to sit and cool off.

Want a cold lover? This one loves it, as does her mom. Watching her discover the first snow of the year was always a treat.

 

[Major Wader]

Never met a dog smarter than my rat terriers. Some varieties, like the Decker Giant rat terriers, can weigh up to 45 lbs.

Mine have typically been anywhere from 12 to 25 lbs.

 

[greg1147]

Belgian Mal/GSD smartest dog I have ever lived with, you never own them, she is the Black dog, second is a
Golden Retriever learning the ropes. I call the black dog the Notifier otherwise known a Winnie

 

[HMRamateur]

Karelian bear dog. She wasn't a purebred, not sure what else she had in her. But just as smart as a border collie I once had, and just as confident and stubborn as a husky an old friend had.

 

[Hattrick]

German Shorthair Pointers
bred to do all. By far the most versatile of all breeds. Granted you need to know where to buy as you do with any breed.

 

[Bill 911]

We were told about a interesting mental exercise for dogs.
You put a small, kid size traffic cone on the floor. The goal is for the dog to tip over the cone by you just looking at it. You look at the dog and look at the cone, no nodding in the direction of the cone you just glance at it then the dog. No verbal or arm directions are given to th dog. As the dog begins to understand you and touches the cone you give him a kibble a couple of times. As the dog progresses in several steps to the goal of tipping over the cone you give him a kibble. How long does it take to get your dog to reliably tip over the cone by just looking at it.
I don't have a time, it was a couple of years ago, but my English Sheperds did it pretty quick.
There are some incredibly smart dogs out there, I'd be interested if anyone has tried this?
Great looking dogs in this thread!
Bill

 

[RPN]

Lots of folks have made the point, but smart dogs need a job, and need their brain nourished. Neurotic collies are a cliché for a reason.

You might find that a less intelligent, more biddable dog is better - what you want done isn't a hard job for a dog.

Consistency, clear instructions and consistency will get you the dog you want.

 

[chevy_man]

I have a heeler/kelpie/border Collie mix.


She's smart as hell, quiet, and loves her people.

Easily trainable with a simple treat training.

High energy. I've taken her on 15 mile mountain bike rides, and she's ready to go again the next day. She does need some exercise every day, so the first thing I taught her was fetch. Every day she gets to play with her ball or Frisbee for 30-45 minutes at least.


Females are easier. They are generally less independent and will be more subservient across all dog breeds.

 

[mvphilly]

I have an Old English pocket beagle. Shes old now but years ago she would make her own bed. We would leave a blanket on a chair she would pull it down drag it to her new spot and set it all up then curl up and go to sleep Easier than a kid!

 

[Doc68]

My German Shepard. It's weird, as soon as I pick up a gun, I have her undiverted attention and it's like she knows what it is.

Doc